<![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business - Deadspin Comments]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business - Deadspin Comments]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Maybe if Bissinger thought about it in the context of Joe Namath. He was a hero to many of his generation (including my father), but on national television, a few minutes of camera time not only greated a great blog name, but showed that he was human. My father didn't renounce his lifer Jets fan status because Namath had a few too many to drink. Not at all. Broadway Joe is still an icon and a legend in the mind of all those who watched him do the impossible. I watched CostasNow this morning and just thought that while Bissinger may be a great writer, his personality is not one that translates well to human interaction. Coming with folders of ammo (as did Costas), I think that's just pretty sad. Sure, when you use crappy sample sizes to make huge generalizations, you can show anything. If we just used opening day of 1994, Tuffy Rhodes may be considered the most prolific home run hitter of his time based solely on one game. As many people that have turned to this website have come to feel, ESPN is no longer the channel it once was, whether on the Internet or on TV. Just like people turned to Drudge for their news, many have turned to Deadspin for their sports or Consumerist or other blogs (not only those on the Gawker network).

ReverseCarpetbagging

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Silky John-STON!: ba-dum-ching. Thank you, thank you, be sure to tip your waitress!

suntastic

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @ILovePaleHoseandPaleHos: I dropped the ball on that one.

suntastic

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Buzz is one of sports media's 'gray-hairs.' These are members of the cabal who feel that theirs is a 'womb-to-the-tomb' profession, and anything that short-circuits that world-order of things (read: blogs) needs to be dealt with. This, though, is their end-game. And everyone knows that a lightbulb burns brightest just before it burns out.

ChrisNH

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Buzz: hells no
Will: every day and twice on Wednesdays
Calipari: no
Shaun: prolly

aloysius

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> I found it a little ironic that Chris Rose feels that only the internet is responsible for the decline of newspaper readership. Hello Chris, you're on TV. That was where people went for immediate news before the internet provided people with everything "on demand"

neily27

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Will, I have been coming to this site for a few months now but am now driven to become a member after seeing the disgraceful reaction from Buzz Bissinger to your appearance on Costas Now. The fact that you elevated yourself, and bloggers, above his petty level, was impressive and resisting his insults was no easy task. That you even got him to condemn your use of profanity with his own profanity reinforced my growing belief that only via Deadspin and other blogs can true fans be heard and treated with respect. I am young and grew up watching ESPN, and have stayed loyal to ESPN despite its steady decline in quality and information. I am impressed with the level of sophistication among your commenters and throughout the internet in the aftermath to Costas' show, and am proud to sign up for Deadspin.

Girls Love the Duck

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> I saw the Bissinger-Leitch session, and I have to say that though I like Deadspin and TBL a lot, there's a lot of truth to what Biss had to say. Modern media has been overcome with a desire not to report the news correctly so much as to make the biggest splash. In other words, the goal of media is to make headlines about making the news.

If you're first or if you have an inside story no one else has, then you're successful. That's what corporate heads like because competitors have to refer to your site (brand) as they tell the story.

Aww, commerce rears its ugly head.

Trace this back to Congress ridding media outlets of their need to adhere to the Fairness Doctrine, particularly in politics, and now you don't have journalism anymore, you have opinion. ESPN is the leader in this for sports; Fox, CNN, MSNBC and others follow in the political forums. But take the pre-NFL Draft shows: No one knew anything because no one knew how one athlete going early would require another team to adjust. But for weeks ahead of time, we had talking heads screaming about who was going where.

Bissinger's point to Leitch is rather worthy: If you're not in the milieu, you cannot comment on the milieu. Leitch's point was, I believe, that by staying out of the press box, he was staying out of the entire sports industry. That's legitimate, to a point. But when you post pictures of Matt Leinert in a hot tub with girls and a beer bong, the question has to be why. What's the context? Leitch doesn't have any; his reasoning is, 'Just because we can (modern electronics like cell phone cameras), we do.' To which Biss asked again, what's the point? Leitch didn't have an answer.

It was embarrassing to Leinert; and Leitch even went so far as to say that it's what you would expect from a 24-year-old. Exactly Biss's point, and he asked why did Leitch post it, then. Leitch said it wasn't out of the ordinary, so it wasn't news. But he posted it anyway? Why? To draw attention. Ahh. Page views. Advertising revenue. Brand awareness.

Ahh, commerce rears its ugly head again.

Media used to do journalism and make money. Now it's about making money, and to Bissinger's point, journalism has suffered. He's right. We're in the Age of Snark, and there's nothing to be learned. It's all flash commentary, fast opinion and on to the next subject.

Nothing's learned. That's BB's point. Owners of blogs like TBL and Deadspin might in fact want to think about that for a while, because such institutions as newspapers used to take that responsibility seriously. Informing the public was a duty. Too many blogs try to entertain us with outrageous statements and high volume. That great second basemen for the Cambridge Giants, Billy Shakespeare said it best, "sound and fury, signifying nothing."

TJBallgame

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> 'I can't get into computers.' How about free throws, coach Cal? Not into those either?

Catenaccio

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Fuzzy Dunlop: +5 you succinct son of a bitch

RachelRayIsTheDevil

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @G.G.: Will Leitch tells black people whether they're acting black enough?

1980 David Bowie From The Music Video Ashes To Ashes

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Bissinger is just getting killed everywhere. Not only here. He came out of this looking like a complete douche.
Did Will bang his mom or something?
Is this guy seriously that upset that people can say what they've always said around the water cooler, but now have an outlet for it?
Poor Buzz is feeling blue because someone can think faster than he can and come up with a good phrase about sports almost immediately, instead of waiting two years to write a book about it. Boo hoo.

KarlHungus

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @G.G.: @YWML: More than anything, Bissinger betrayed his own immense intelligence and surrendered the moral high ground to someone who couldn't find it with a map, compass and Mother Teresa serving as a guide.

I couldn't help it. That made me giggle.

Le Kangourou de Kataroo

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> One more thing - every major MSM in sports covered the Leinart story too. PTI talked about it on three non-consecutive occassions!

NovakAintNoJokovic

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Will - two pieces of advice for you on points you may want to make in the future, if I may:

1) In addition to being about sports, it's also about entertainment. You don't post about Leinart studying film at 5:30 in the morning because it's not entertaining. Best Damn whatever is also about entertainment. So is Costas Now. Neither of them would ever report on Leinart's 5:30AM film study, and if you get asked this again, you should respond back "Would you report on it?"

2) Along the same lines, people should consider the source when reading things (you touched on this a little with Costas when you talked about the meritocracy). If you read Bill Simmons, you know he's a Boston homer. If you read John Hollinger, you know he likes stats and numbers. If you watch Best Damn Sports Show, you know John Salley likes to make jokes and you shouldn't take everything he says at face value. Context means so much, right?

/off the soap box

/shits pants

NovakAintNoJokovic

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Methinks the Onion is on our side!
[www.theonion.com]
also, for good measure: [www.theonion.com]

Chamomiles Davis

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> I posted a question in Keith Law's chat and he actually answered. I guess its kind of a loaded question when Law openly reads and enjoys deadspin. He's about the only guy I'll read on the WWL.

Buzz (crazyville): Keith, You have no creditability and you are downright mean. How dare you call yourself a journalist! I fear for my children because of idiots like you on the internet,or deadspinoshphere, or whatever this medium is called.

Keith Law: (1:21 PM ET ) I didn't see the whole thing, only clips, but it was quite clear to me that Bissinger isn't that intelligent, and fears the way that the Internet can undermine the credibility that is automatically (and often wrongly) gifted on those who had some exclusivity over the right to set the sports agenda in the old world.

HernandezStache

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Buzz gets home and listens to himself talk on tape recorder

"I think you're full of shit" ---- "That could be taken out of context

"A man who calls himself....Balls Deep?" ----- "Oh Buzz, you blowhard!"

Thundercracker

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> See, this is what I was looking for the other night.

The Sports Hernia

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Here's the thing about the Leinart photo issue that really bothers me, and a point I wish Will had made on the shows:

Deadspin posts a picture of Leinart partying, said "hey, Leinart likes to party," and moves on.

The traditional media seizes on to it using their default setting, outrage. They express outrage that Leinart is partying and "not taking football seriously." At the same time, they hypocritically express outrage at the blogs for posting the pictures in the first place.

Then, Will is somehow called to defend blogs for raising this "unnewsworthy" issue and not portraying a balanced view, when, in fact, its the traditional media that really publicized and harped on the story.

Fuzzy Dunlop

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Is there any way we can email Buzz's kid a free commentariat membership to deadspin? I think it would be interesting to see if he would accept it.

Dread-Pirate-Dave-Roberts

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> This isn't the first time Buzz has been a complete dick to one of the younger guys either. Here's a clip of him getting really snippy with Boog Sciambi after Boog called him out on a statement that Buzz was making without any research, instead just saying whatever Tony LaRussa and others thought as if it were actual fact. Of course, Buzz was completely wrong, as Baseball Prospectus and others showed.

[www.790theticket.com]

Yinka Double Dare

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Honestly, in the end, I don't think Will ever thought it would come to this when he took the Deadspin job. These people are accusing him of leading an army of anti-establishment celebrity hating cyberterrorists, when this is the same guy who wrote about the Life as a Loser Experience.

DontPracticeRenteria

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Buzz doesn't have a forehead, he has more of a fivehead.

Silky John-STON!

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @YWML: Kick me off of Deadspin, but Whitlock makes some great points in that post....

Southeast Jerome

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> In order to keep simple minded people from destroying the new sports medium, we need to be more sports and less smut writers. Both sides have a legit point but if we want a positive relationship with the other mediums of sports reporting some restraint has to happen.

Fanatic

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> The journalists kind of remind me of Canada at this point

DontPracticeRenteria

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @MeSoHornsby: Don't forget that PC was also there giving reach arounds.

RachelRayIsTheDevil

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> I still say if Bissinger was a kid trying to make it as a writer, he'd have his own blog with all his unpublished/rejected work all over it...

And probably would have submitted a bunch of said work to Will for approval as a part-time Deadspin contributor

Fawn Liebowitz

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> I usually read before I go to sleep, and I was working on Friday Night Lights when this happened...

When I went to sleep, I had nightmares of a greasy old man yelling at me, giant foreheads, and scared horses..

Not much different than the nightmares I used to get after reading Harry Potter 10 years ago.

Thrillhouse

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Yeah uh... where do we buy the Deadspin™ "I Think You're Full of Shit" T-Shirt?

decoitous

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> I'm sure someone has said this, but I don't feel like reading all the posts so here I go. I don't mind that Buzz Bissinger has a strong opinion. I don't mind that Chris Rose doesn't like the Leinart stuff. Hell, I don't even mind that Braylan Edwards went to Michigan. My biggest beef lies with the fact that Costas and Bissinger set this whole thing up to tag team young Mr. Leitch. They talk about journalism, but everything I've ever been taught says you give both guys equal time and the moderator (Costas) stays neutral. WHo would have thought that "Best Damn" has more journalistic credibility than Bob Costas?

Fletch F. Fletch

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> From the "You didn't see this coming" department":

[msn.foxsports.com]

G.G.

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Who would've thought that 'classy' Costas Now would pale in comparison to Best Damn Sports Show?

Frank Pentangeli

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> FYI, Cowherd just went on a tear and ripped Bissinger about this whole "Costas Now" stuff saying "the man needs medication."

Pepper Leach

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Twenty years hence, we will learn this tiff on Costas Now was just Leitch & Bissinger doing their best Kaufman & Lawler routine.

josereyes.theroof wishes to perform Tim Harris's sack-dance for you

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Has anyone else seen this yet? Whitlock is a piece of shit.

[msn.foxsports.com]

YWML

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> I'm going out on a limb and saying that 80 percent of sports bloggers have read Friday Night Lights.

WC Fields or whoever....not so much.

MyronCopacetic

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> If Coach Cal can't get in to computers maybe he can just have Buzz mimiograph jhim some pages from blogs.

HugsFromHarold

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> This is worse than having the pear dream.

blastitbiggs

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @DennyCrane: Denny, I love Will's rapport with you on Boston Legal.

MeSoHornsby

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Sid Bream Was Out: Oh, Dee just wet herself.

Detective Bunk

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @44 in a Row: Dolan vs. Murdoch would be like Godzilla vs King Kong. Only no one dies or sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

McCroskey

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Will,

Just keep in mind that if this whole blogging thing doesn't work out, you can always get a job as the Micro Machines guy. I'm not sure he talks quite as fast as you, however.

Kid 'cause I love.

Dan Levy

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Nib Nibblinger, stop this madness

DennyCrane

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @crazyjoedavola: Midgets are funny, they always want to sit in the front seat.

/Costas

FEAST

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @MeSoHornsby: WE MUST REACTIVATE THE STARGATE

DennyCrane

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Sid Bream Was Out: It is sad, old news.

Juancho

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @44 in a Row: If I remember correctly, Cablevision originally owned a piece of FSN, and then swapped for the sole ownership of FSNY.

DennyCrane

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Wow, measured, reasoned, thoughtful, my respect for John Calipari goes way up because he's taking the right approach to this whole thing.

He called Will on the fact that he's making money off this do, but you could hear the way that he genuinely seems to appreciate that as long as Will is willing to allow the player to make amends for what they did, then he's cool with it.

And Will, Calipari is also right, the making money off it argument is a weak one and you should remove it from your quiver, or caveat it up front, because it hurts your whole presentation.

Yostal

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Still, for the life of me, I cannot figure out why the love-child of James Spader and Dave Foley is talking about Deadspin on TV.

MeSoHornsby

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> It is all so clear now ... From Buzz's wikipedia page:
"His most recent article for Vanity Fair, "Gone with the Wind" (August 2007) about the saga of 2006 Kentucky Derby Winner Barbaro, has been optioned by Universal Pictures."

Sid Bream Was Out

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Nibbles is up early, I see.

/posting to see, hopefully

Rock You Like An Iracane

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @LeagueofShadows: You mean...you haven't read him? You damn bloggers.

Magnakai Haaskivi

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @LeagueofShadows: 100% of readers disapprove

7-8 Deville

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> On a side note, the change from Fox Sports New York to MSG+ is a slap in the face to Devils and Islanders fans.

There's a whole weird back-story that, by the way. Even when it was FSN New York, I'm reasonably sure it was still owned by Cablevision; it was some kind of affiliate deal, if I remember correctly, as opposed to most of the other FSNs, which are owned by News Corporation.

44 in a Row

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Sliderofdeath: I thought it was shallow and pedantic.

DennyCrane

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> So where's the link to the nons-sports site that had the "Crazy Old Man" headline?

Was it Fark?

BigTenObsession

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @suntastic: You mean that wasn't Martin Lawrence?

JoeyPorterAle

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @sassydeerrun: They blurred out a fake finger, yet the name of the show contains blasphemy? Holy fucking Jesus.

spinachdip

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> I thought that whole interview was glib. Glib, glib, glib.

Sliderofdeath

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @ghostsoftheSCupcountry: Having read both FNL (which I'll always count as one of my favorite books) and 3DiA, the latter is decent, but reads like so many other clubhouse books and is notable mostly for its unprecedented, and uninteresting, access to LaRussa.

Rock You Like An Iracane

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Hey, as long as people are able to apologize on that stuff, its fine by him. Coach Cal's all about apologizin' for things.

whodatmaninablacksedan

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @HernandezStache:

BOILERMAKERS FTW!

BigTenObsession

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @7-8 Deville: I really want to see that happen.

LeagueofShadows

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Does it say more about me or Bissinger that I had never heard of him before last night?

Bullshooter

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @ghostsoftheSCupcountry: I'm the same, I'll read the local paper's sports section, but as far as facts there's nothing I didn't already know from the internet. I'll look at the box scores and read the local opinions.
@Magnakai Haaskivi: That's very true, but knowing he's that arrogant makes me assume he would have that same attitude in his writing, even if that's not necessarily true.

LeagueofShadows

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @TheStarterWife: Check your private messages.

Rock You Like An Iracane

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> "I'm not old, I'm 37."

Okay, 32. Dammit Leitch, that would almost be funny if you were 5 years older.

Michael Bertin

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> When is Calipari going to have you whacked? I had no idea he sounded so much like Paulie Walnuts.

Glass_Family

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Measured debate. Not what I was expecting from Best Damn Sports Show.

On a side note, the change from Fox Sports New York to MSG+ is a slap in the face to Devils and Islanders fans.

McCroskey

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Wyshynski: Took the words right outta my mouth. If only Buzz could fall off a Scandanavian mountain cliff like the yodeler

Pittsburgh Sports and Mini Ponies

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @7-8 Deville: "Do you like the Buzz Bissinger? Do you not like the Buzz Bissinger?"

Chamomiles Davis

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @HernandezStache: that's not news, it's the OFFSEASON!!!

why is that in espn?

what he chooses to do on his offseason - fighting cops, beating women - that's his business, not yours, or espn's, or the law's, or the court's...

supermike5alive

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> I'm just guessing, but I don't think we will be seeing Media Approval Ratings for the Buzz Bissinger any time soon.

7-8 Deville

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> The Buzzy B photo above make it look like he just lost on "The Price is Right" for some reason.

Wyshynski

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Has anyone ever seen Dave Foley and our beloved editor at the same time? Just asking.

Mr. Sparkle

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @TheStarterWife: I was all about to "friend" him, but I don't know which way the "journalistic integrity" teeters if I friend some teenager then immediately ask him for an off-record (or on record) chat with a blog about all this business

Pittsburgh Sports and Mini Ponies

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @RachelRayIsTheDevil: whoops... um... who is that guy on there? with the hairdo?

that guy is who i meant.

sorry i don't watch this particular programme.

supermike5alive

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Every time Will appears on camera in that clip, I find myself looking to see where Crow and Tom Servo are...

A Pimp Named DaveR

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Civil Negligence:

No one has to.

[sports.espn.go.com]

HernandezStache

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Doyle McPoyle: Ok, that hurts.
/shows himself out dogdoor.

The Diesel

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> its funny, over the weekend my father showed me a letter he had gotten from Costas in reply to a letter he wrote him re: the eulogy he gave at Mickey Mantle's funeral. It was a nice, sincere letter and he even gave my Father a jab about being a Jets fan (I guess he mentioned in the letter to him somehow)

And I thought to myself, well maybe Costas isn't so bad. That was pretty nice to write my father back like that.

I'll never second guess myself again.

dont-forget-where-you-came-from-cheese mac

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @supermike5alive: When is the Leitch appearance on Charlie Rose going to be available.

Reeses Pieces rock.

RachelRayIsTheDevil

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Pittsburgh Sports and Mini Ponies: Exactly? Or if he does read sports blogs, does he know the difference between the two styles of writing and reporting? (I am sure he does.)

TheStarterWife

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Gus Johnson's Cardiologist: Which, I'm sure in his mind was sort of analogous to Will writing a clever bit on an announcer or jock and then "letting" us hyenas make death threats and cunt jokes?

/ouch.

David Hume

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Yinka Double Dare: i thought it was maybe that, but at the same time it kinda sounds like he's reluctant to promote the book.

maybe i'm READING into it alittle too much? huh? ehhh? hmmm???

fuck

supermike5alive

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Le Kangourou de Kataroo: If you haven't gagged down "3 Nights in August" count yourself blessed. Somehow, I doubt even Will could read it without going into a coma...before the latest uproar.

ghostsoftheSCupcountry

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Closing out Bissinger? But what about Balls Deep Daddy's Balls Deep Post later today? It can't be all about Rich Garces' tits again, can it? While those boobs are a rich and vibrant subject, I sort of assumed BDD would be spurred by the Costas show, lathered up if you will, to unbridle his pen and break Buzz down cowboy-style.

Slothrop

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Le Kangourou de Kataroo: Did they wrestle in jello or something? Because that might interest me.

ILovePaleHoseandPaleHos

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @David Hume: listen, what Bissinger does in his offseason is nobody's business. it wasn't mentioned that he's up and writing at 5am every day too? no, just the equine stuff...

it really needs to be more balanced. that's his OFFseason!

supermike5alive

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @supermike5alive: My guess is that the "unfortunately" was in reference to having to cut off the discussion, because it seemed like it could have gone on longer.

Yinka Double Dare

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> So, does this now become bloggate or some other incredibly clever name? Because the simmilarities between Bissinger and Kissinger are uncanny. Irony...

TimBiakabutukaMyLunchMoney

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @ghostsoftheSCupcountry: I'm young enough that apparently newspapers are irrelevant to me, even though i love the gray lady.

Buzz might be a good journalist, but his asshole performance doesn't make me want to read anything he writes.

Good lord. This is becoming more insufferable than Heidi v. Lauren.

Le Kangourou de Kataroo

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @David Hume: OH MY GOD THAT IS A BEATIN!!!!

Stev D

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @TheStarterWife: I actually saw the kid's facebook page and contemplated asking him that very question. IS he trained to only read Friday Night Light and newspapers?

Pittsburgh Sports and Mini Ponies

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @LeagueofShadows: Being a douche in person doesn't mean that the writing isn't solid, though; it just means that he's a douche and you don't want to go out for a drink with him. Which makes him pretty much exactly like every idiot athlete who beats his pregnant wife while on 'roids but still accumulates 20 sacks, maintains a 1.00 ERA, and averages a triple-double every other game: as long as he's on your team, you like his output.

Magnakai Haaskivi

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> I have nothing to add other than: fuck, fuckity, fuck fuck fuck

P- Please consider the environment before printing this "post", Buzz

Sir Hotbod Handsomeface

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @crazyjoedavola: Hey, I'm a Michigan alum, I love Braylon. And he would have fit in fine with a normal, reasoned discussion judging from the minimal amount he was able to say on Costas. It was unfortunate that he could barely get a word in because Costas and Buzz were so focused on hammering on Will.

Yinka Double Dare

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Len Bias Cocaine Surplus: you sure do like to touch Spider!

Babcocksure

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Juancho: the fact that he is NOT wearing the fabled black t-shirt shakes me to my very marrow

DeepFriar

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Will, you were in L.A., where's your bluetooth?

Stev D

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @TheStarterWife: *what does he read.

TheStarterWife

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> So did Salley care really? Seemed to be on Leitch's side...or just totally indifferent.

I do find it funny to see Chris Rose get defensive about the evil of blogs. Does he consider himself to be a real journalist or something?

The Gizmo from Pismo

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> now this is the kind of hard hitting journalism I come to DS for.

Babcocksure

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> so does Charlie Rose hate you or not?

what was that at the end? sounded like he was mad that he had to promote the book "unfortunatly, i do have to tell everybody..."

WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL WITH THE LEINART PHOTOS!!!?!??

supermike5alive

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> You know, the worst part of all of this was that last night, at the gym, in the middle of a lift, I thought of the KSK horsefucking article.

Of course, I started to snicker and couldn't finish the rep, and totally looked like a pussy.

Thanks alot, Bissinger.

David Hume

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> What I keep wondering about... Is Bissinger's 16 year-old son into sports? And if so, does he read?

TheStarterWife

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Juancho: Glad to see I'm not along in pimping Will's latest to an unsuspecting public at the bookbarn of your choice. Us "lieberry" types gotta stick together before the wiki-ebay puts up on the curb.

ghostsoftheSCupcountry

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @crazyjoedavola: @Yinka Double Dare:

Woah! Let's slow down, please. I think if we prematurely turn around and blame Costas here, we will only come up short.

Civil Negligence

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Sid Bream Was Out:

In a show of appreciation, Bill Conlin sent both Buzz and Bob a set of white wall tires.

UkraineNotWeak aka Praying for a Bullpen

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @crazyjoedavola: That was my biggest gripe with the HBO show. Bissinger is an out of touch ass-hat, no doubt, but for Costas to just sit there and watch the blindsiding and in fact encourage it at points was the much bigger deal in my opinion.

Gus Johnson's Cardiologist

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Where was Rob Dibble? Cutting the sleeves off his button down oxford shirts?

ArkansasFred

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Wow. That was almost like... and intelligent exchange of ideas.

Yellow Tail Swine

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Sandburgh: Shirley Povich just grabbed his pitchfork.

Juancho

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> With all this TV time, does Will have groupies now?

ChitownChick

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Lindsay Lohans Left Boob: I honestly could give a flying fuck what Buzz thinks of blogs. I read at least 2 papers every day...mainly for the standings and obits. I'm old enough that I've been programmed to read a paper with my AM coffee; but young enough that I follow big stories and get my current news online.

So Buzz is frightened of blogs? Costas is as well? Here's a hint. Buzz has never been relevant and Costas ceased to matter as soon as NBC lost baseball.

ghostsoftheSCupcountry

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Yinka Double Dare: Just make sure you keep Braylon Edwards on the panel. That guy is a star.

crazyjoedavola

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> What I thought was interesting about the whole Costas/Buzz segment was that it seemed set up purposefully to be this big smack down on the blogger by the "legitimate" journalists. Ironic, in that such an event itself is bad journalism.

(Subtext: blogger selling books. Imagine if you outsold Buzz.)

Now, Best Damn comes along with a more balanced approach than Costas.

Bob Costas just got out journoed by Foxsports.

Sid Bream Was Out

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @suntastic: No Martin Lawrence joke?

ILovePaleHoseandPaleHos

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> I don't give a crap if Bissinger is an alleged good writer, he's still a pompous egotistical douchebag asshole, and he should lose a ton of respect.

LeagueofShadows

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> So that's what a reasoned discussion of blogs versus journalism looks like. I'm sure Costas will be thrilled that Serious Journalism Costas Now was the home of ranting idiocy while of all things "The Best Damn Sports Show Period" actually had the responsible, thoughtful discussion.

Next time Bob, you might want to talk to your guests beforehand so you know whether it's worth having them on there. There have to be Serious Journalists who wouldn't have been as big of a dick as Bissinger. Hell, even Skip Brainless probably would have been better, despite Bissinger being a vastly superior writer/journalist.

Yinka Double Dare

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Will kinda looks like Martin Prince.

MattinglysSideburns

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @sassydeerrun: I work at a library, and I regularly have the book featured (face out) on our new books shelf.

It never fails to bring a smile to my face.

Juancho

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Will seems extremely scared by the amount of times John Sally is touching him.

Len Bias Cocaine Surplus

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Judging by the haircut, I gather that while in LA, Will did not pay a visit to Guiseppe Franco in Beverly Hills.

UkraineNotWeak aka Praying for a Bullpen

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> maybe if you had kept the emo bangs, buzz would've have been a litte more sensitive towards you

ltwinslow

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> This settles it. I'm getting Will a tie for his birthday.

I think you're full of shit.

44 in a Row

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> I am pretty sure MSM was not pleased with Bissinger's performance Tuesday. He came off as a raving jackass, and was completely unprepared for that segment.

Watched it again last night, the biggest douche has to be Costas. Way to control the show.

/midget joke

crazyjoedavola

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> That "Old Man Going Crazy" clip was actually about Frank Thomas almost getting the cycle 2 days ago.

Doyle McPoyle

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Proof of Leinart's status as a bona fide celebrity: Calipari is trying to dress like him.

BarrySagittarius

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @the earl of weaver: My thoughts exactly. That forehead could give Philip Seymore Hoffman's a run for it's money.

Evgeni Merkin

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @Camp Tiger Claw: yes please

futuremrsrickankiel

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> That response is the same reason why Coach can recruit just about any player in the country . . .

Treat young men like men. Do what you think is best, but be prepared for the consequences of your actions. Stand up when you make a mistake.

That-Dude

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> This whole thing is going to make next months's meeting of the Tony LaRussa Fellators reaaaally awkward.

Shawon-O-Meter

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> What does Tom Arnold have to say about all this?

Rob Iracane

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> I can't wait to get that searing Billinger response delivered to my doorstep in three months by Pony Express.

DannyNoonan

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @twoeightnine: The coach was just sucking up to Will because he heard that he has four years of eligibility left and can often make at least 6 out of 10 freethrows.

Cialis Cooper

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> So, to summarize:

Costas Now - home of mouth-frothing, profane, invective

Best Damn Sports Show - home of the civilized round table discussion

The signs of the impending apocalypse just keep piling up.

OneManShowdown

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> NO MORE BUZZ BIISSINGHDIGHIOASGHE
NO MAS
NO MAAAAASSSSSSSSS

Camp Tiger Claw

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Wow.

Calipari >>>> Bissinger.

And dammit, John Salley/Rodney Peete/Kevin Willis, quit looking too much like each other!

suntastic

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Ok, who is gonna go dumpster-diving for Shaun Phillips? He's just asking for it...Anybody?

Civil Negligence

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @twoeightnine: Seriously, how did John Calipari and Braylon Edwards become the voice of reason?

Honestly. wtf

Down is up, left is right, so on and so forth

Pittsburgh Sports and Mini Ponies

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> What is this "internet" that Bissinger is speaking of? Ring Lardner is worried about it.

Sandburgh

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> "...we were very touched, ..."

Too much personal info, Will.

Robert Barone’s Dog

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Wil, they blurred the cover of your book , yet the same was not done for Chris Rose's hair?

sassydeerrun

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Will was on TV?

All in all, say what you want about Bissinger. He is a fantastic writer. He had the balls (pun) to show what HIGH SCHOOL football was like and how the kids are treated like celebrities and pieces of meat. He made a lot of enemies because of that book.

Probably made more from Deadspin commenters though.

Lindsay Lohans Left Boob

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> My favorite part was when John Calipari admitted to not knowing how to turn on a computer. It must be somehow endearing to high school players that the coach recruiting them is far dumber than their dumbest friend.

Bob Loblaw

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @twoeightnine: The NCAA is looking into it.

Sh!tShow

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> @twoeightnine: There's a reason he's able to recruit big time studs to places like UMass and Memphis. (not just the boosters)

Dead Wrestlers Society

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Also? Bissinger has a rather enormous forehead. Though something has to hold in that ego I suppose.

the earl of weaver

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Ah, sports blog scandals...

Le Kangourou de Kataroo

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Yea, who know 'Best Damn Sports Show' would have a better appeal to your mid-western sensibilities than 'Costas Now"?

Illegal Immigrant

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> We think that Bissinger could benefit from a legitimate look at sports blogs

Manilla folders can only hold so much.

Dead Wrestlers Society

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> So....where's the clip?

Afino

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> Seriously, how did John Calipari become the voice of reason?

twoeightnine

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> And now, we're probably ready to let all this go.

Well, thank god, because I've heard there are some decent sports a'playing right now.

Seriously, I can't take much more antagonism from either side. Sports and springtime, baby.

futuremrsrickankiel

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> So the Dalai Lama said to Bissinger," There won't be any redemption, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive.....giant horse dicks in your rear." So you got that goin' for you, which is nice.

RachelRayIsTheDevil

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> The Will Leitch Talk Show Rider

1. Four (4) bottles of distilled water
2. Two (2) packages of Reese's Pieces
3. One (1) NFL Pro-Bowl football player on stage

Matt Sussman

]]> <![CDATA[Closing Out This Bissinger Business]]> This settles it. I'm getting Will a tie for his birthday.

Juancho

]]>